An Everlasting Meal is a cookbook. It isn't a food memoir. It's so much more than both of those things. An Everlasting Meal is reminder about what food and cooking really are. Food is a necessity for life and cooking is an art, a hobby, and a joy. Adler reminds the home cook that you can have a delicious gourmet meal without trying to rival any gourmet chef. While there are recipes included in An Everlasting Meal, Adler spends a lot of time talking about how to combine foods, things you might have in your own pantry to make a week's worth of food with little effort.
Each chapter takes on a different category of ingredient-fish, vegetables, bread-and explains ways to make each one last beyond one meal. Rather than tossing leftover bread, make bread soup, breadcrumbs, bread pudding. Vegetable scraps become soup stock. The idea of economy is not only to make it last but make your food work for you. Adler does advocate for making more than you can eat today with the intention of using today's roast chicken for tomorrow's sandwiches and Wednesday's soup.
The reason I loved this book so much can be summed up in this quote:
After the first bite you think, This is why I've boiled meat; this is why I've bought good eggs; this is why I've taken time to cook; this is why i eat. pg 28This book renewed my curiosity in the kitchen. It's not just about putting together ingredients for a recipe that come someone created. It's because I wonder how those things will taste together. How I can make something taste amazing.
I recommend this book for those who enjoy cooking as well as those who might not. Adler would help any non-cook see it's not about being able to follow a recipe but learning to create meals. An Everlasting Meal will certainly make anyone hungry! Others who shared their thoughts on An Everlasting Meal: Sammitt, Eat To Thrive, Book Buzz, and Ghost Town Farmer.
This was my third read for the Foodies Read 2 Challenge.
This sounds like kitchen inspiration to me!
ReplyDeleteYour review of this one really caught my attention because of the word "economy". With today's food prices and gas going through the roof I really need to stretch my dollar. I will have to check this one out!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book! Ditto on the comment on economy-I have to get better about that!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good book!
ReplyDeleteI love the quote you shared -- it really makes me want to read the book. When I was a grad student I was so much better about canning and freezing and cooking ahead. In the last couple of years I've gotten back to that. Like Staci said, today's food prices make it more important to use every bit of what you bought.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to hunt this one down at the library--it sounds really interesting. I love that quote you shared, too.
ReplyDeleteMight be a book evry kitchen needs now! I like the quote too.
ReplyDelete